Category: HowAboutWe

Online Dating Matures: 5 New Sites That Will Get You Lucky

Posted on October 17, 2011

Howaboutwe logo newFOX NEWS – Oct 16 - For decades, the online dating scene was limited to a handful of trusty incumbents: think Match.com, LavaLife, eHarmony. But a bevy of new sites are looking to offer the granularity users are now craving.

Here are five sites offering a fresh approach to finding “the one” online.

1. Best Concept: HowAboutWe (400K dates posted. $28 per month)
– One of the fastest growing sites in the scene. Proposing a date gives singles an immediate topic of conversation for emails and way to connect.
2. Best Elite Site: Sparkology (Service has not opened to general public yet)
– The community is invite-only and men must be verified grads of top universities.
3. Best Mainstream Site: OKCupid (7M members)
4. Best Alternative: Ignighter (2M members)
– Allows groups of friends to collaborate on a group profile. 
5. Most Buzzed About: Meexo 
– Meexo isn’t out yet. Meexo is attempting to bridge the gap between location-based gaming and romance.

by Alex Liu
See full article at Fox News

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Mobile Dating Apps Show Who’s Single Without the Mingle

Posted on September 29, 2011

PlentyofFish Mobile THE JAKARTA GLOBE – Sep 29 - The phone apps, from Match.com or newcomers such as howaboutwe.com, pack in the features, from IM and video profiles to "check-ins" at hot nightlife spots. "It's all about getting people off-line", says Aaron Schildkrout, touting howaboutwe.com, the app he co-created. Users post specific date ideas such as attending a baseball game or having drinks on a rooftop bar. In the service's first month live, there were ~60K downloads; the user base was 60% female, ages 22 to 40. Andrea Martinez, 24 found her new boyfriend on plentyoffish.com's mobile app version. She preferred the app over the computer version because uploading photos from her phone was easier. Grindr founder and CEO Joel Simkhai says company surveys show that 85% of members used the app for making new friends, especially when they were new to town. That's why Simkhai believes the next evolution of apps won't be about dating but will focus on friendships.

by Sheba R. Wheeler
The full article was originally published at Jakarta Globe, but is no longer available.

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How Groupon Can Help Dating Sites

Posted on September 21, 2011

Howaboutwe groupon screenshot BUSINESS NEWS DAILY – Sep 20 – New research shows that daily deals companies are more popular than ever among consumers. Small businesses that have used Groupon's daily deals to gain visibility and boost business say the accolades are well deserved. First-mover advantage has matured into long-term loyalty on the part of merchants and consumers alike. For HowAboutWe, an online dating service whose draw for members is that the service focuses at first more on the date itself than on their date's dossier, using Groupon has been both a profit center and a marketing vehicle. A typical HowAboutWe Groupon deal offers a three-month membership for $18, 67% off the normal price of $54. HowAboutWe tried its first Groupon in January in Brooklyn. It netted 433 new members. Subsequent offers have brought in 142 new members in Boston, 257 in New York City, 155 in Washington and 175 in San Francisco.

by Ned Smith
See full article at Business News Daily

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The New Digital Singles Scene

Posted on September 1, 2011

Online dating 111 FAST COMPANY – Aug 19 - Online dating startups are using quirky concepts, and emerging technology–from facial recognition to geolocation. Online dating is a $1.5 billion per year industry in the U.S. Match.com generates ~$400M; eHarmony ~$150 million; and Adult Friend Finder earn ~$250M in annual revenue. On most sites, users take the time-honored route of writing up anecdotes about their lives. OK Cupid broke that model by combining traditional "about me" profiles with a personality test a la 20-questions. Dutch startup Soul2Match is using facial recognition software to pair people with similar bone structure. HowAboutWe requires users to suggest unique date ideas to one another. Spoondate asks its members to disclose what they want to eat and where, to match them based on cravings. Luv@FirstTweet tracks its users’ Twitter history to get a sense of their interests and personality.

by Sean Captain
See full article at Fast Company

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New York Magazine Partners with HowAboutWe

Posted on June 20, 2011

Howaboutwe logo new MEDIABISTRO – June 20 - New York magazine and the online dating site HowAboutWe have partnered to launch a new dating site, housed within New York’s site. The site will be promoted heavily by the magazine, and revenue between the two brands will be split evenly.

by Chris O'Shea
The full article was originally published at MediaBistro, but is no longer available.

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First Date: Dinner And A Movie Is So Last Decade

Posted on February 4, 2011

Howaboutwe logo WASHINGTON POST – Feb 4 – ~45,000 first dates were proposed last year on HowAboutWe.com. One proposal drew an unheard-of 70 responses? A man who suggested a date to get manicures. Founded by childhood friends Aaron Schildkrout and Brian Schechter, the online dating site eschews elaborate profiles and questionnaires, asking members instead to suggest dates in the hopes that someone out there wants to go. FULL ARTICLE @ WASHINGTON POST

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HowAboutWe.com Set To Launch In Boston

Posted on November 25, 2010

Howaboutwe logo THE NEW YORK OBSERVER – Nov 24 – How About We, the new dating site that just raised $3.1M, is planning to launch in its second city next week: Boston. HAW is a free dating site where members post creative first date ideas.

The full article was originally published at The New York Observer, but is no longer available.

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Fancy That, HowAboutWe.com Is Manned By Real People

Posted on November 16, 2010

Howaboutwe founders OPW – Nov 16 – How very refreshing.  I'm signed up with HowAboutWe and got this personal message from the founders. 

"Thank you from Aaron and Brian, the co-founders of HowAboutWe. Thanks for proposing amazing dates. For your feedback. Your motivating support. And for giving this idea a chance. For real — thanks. You've propelled us forward, and this month, we announced having raised money, which has allowed us to recruit an amazing team (intros coming soon) and get a real office – no more coffee shops or karaoke bars.  You may have noticed some changes on the site already, like being able to propose dates right from your homepage. Or being able to share dates you've proposed on Facebook.  Many more are coming. And we're excited to keep you posted. As always, please keep the feedback coming. It's invaluable."

I think this personal approach works well. From my sales background, I remember a phrase, "people buy from people." In the personals business, that's just as true. When was the last time you pushed out an email to your users that showed that your idating company is staffed by real people? -  Mark Brooks

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HowAboutWe Secures $3.1 Million

Posted on November 3, 2010

Howaboutwe logo BENZINGA – Nov 4 - Online dating startup "HowAboutWe" has raised $3.1M in funding led by RRE Ventures. HowAboutWe is focused on proposing and accepting specific date ideas that complete the sentence "How about we…" The site is pushing towards a national rollout in the next few months. FULL ARTICLE @ BENZINGA

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Why You Should Pay Attention To How About We Startup

Posted on August 3, 2010

Howaboutwe logo BUSINESS INSIDER – Aug 2 – How About We, a months-old dating service built around proposing and accepting specific date ideas, has been generating an impressive amount of buzz. How About We is a company you should actually pay attention to. Here's why:

– Differentiation. As crowded as the dating industry is, there hasn't been much innovation in the nature of the basic product. 
– Great additional revenue possibilities. This featured date proposal takes place at a restaurant for which Groupon-clone BuyWithMe is currently offering a coupon. 
– Investors like it. 
– There's an obvious early exit. This service has plenty of natural buyers if it catches on. 
– Social media. How About We lends itself much more readily to user-driven distribution through social networks.
FULL ARTICLE @ BUSINESS INSIDER       

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